Plex v emby

[UKenGB 0]

This may stir up controversy, but I'm really just wanting a rational discussion about this comparison.

I've been a Plex Pass user for many years and have been running Plex Media Server on a Mac Mini, but am in the process of setting up a new Media Server on a dedicated linux server and am considering the option of switching to emby.

The big plus is that I want to be able to use satellite TV, which in the UK means FreeSAT, as that offers some advantages. Currently the Plex server uses a HomeRun FreeView (UK digital terrestrial), but Plex has no support for satellite in any form. However, emby can utilise M3U tuners and I have a SAT>IP box which means I can create an M3U for all the channels I want and the regular UK EPG will be correct for that as FreeView and FreeSAT broadcast the same schedule, even if some channels provide different capabilities, like more channels are HD on FreeSAT. However, as I said, the Guide would be identical.

I also have a major requirement for a central (household) music server. iTunes couldn't cut it and Music app is no better as a server, whereas Plex will notice any files simply added to the server's specified folders and add them, which Apple's products are absolutely incapable of doing. Just to be clear, I'm not an Apple hater. I love and use many of their products, but in this use case, their products suck.

I am prepared to purchase an emby subscription if it proves superior to Plex, but does it?

I would be interested to hear of other's experiences of music and video serving by both Plex and emby, particularly from those who have used both. No axe to grind, I really just want to know how others have got on with these competing products.

[frasilva 1]

Hello, did you tried emby already? I'm coming back after a couple of years of trying emby and canceling my subscription for 1 service that's crucial to me.... Large m3u lists.

I paid 1 month, tried, suffered from the sluggish problems emby had couple of years ago with large m3u list, and then canceled my subscription and paid for a dedicated m3u app.

Now, im repeating the process, I paid emby 1 month of subscription 1 week ago, and my testing the first days were not  better than a couple of years ago.

The channel scanning takes a lot of time, slow and messy. I've read around that it can be improved tweaking with emby plug-ins, haven't had the time to do that. I wish I have the time for that, I do have fun setting my NUC Intel server, but the alternative is to keep using iptv dedicated apps in my devices, and another app for my personal library of music and videos.

So... I need to return the question back to you.... How was the plex experience handling large m3u lists??? Because I feel I need to keep looking for options.

 

Regards.

[frasilva 1]

I just found this reddit related to our topic. It seems plex it's even worse than emby managing m3u lists.  If you any insights, I'll. Appreciate the feedback.

 

Thanks in advance.

 

 

[Spaceboy 2500]

just use iptvboss to reduce your channel list before loading it in emby

[Chillout 85]

1 hour ago, frasilva said:

Hello, did you tried emby already? I'm coming back after a couple of years of trying emby and canceling my subscription for 1 service that's crucial to me.... Large m3u lists.

Until recently Emby would be slow to load channels when linked to an IPTV guide.  I'm on Beta.V.39 and it seems to handle channels better as they populate on the screen very quickly rather than showing a spinning circle forever or simply timing out.  I'm not sure when/if the improvements were made and maybe the problem was on my side that somehow fixed themselves.

But you still need a program like IPTVBoss to manage the large number of channels as it is painful to sort/arrange the channels according to your preference using the Emby channel manager. 

[frasilva 1]

31 minutes ago, Chillout said:

Until recently Emby would be slow to load channels when linked to an IPTV guide.  I'm on Beta.V.39 and it seems to handle channels better as they populate on the screen very quickly rather than showing a spinning circle forever or simply timing out.  I'm not sure when/if the improvements were made and maybe the problem was on my side that somehow fixed themselves.

But you still need a program like IPTVBoss to manage the large number of channels as it is painful to sort/arrange the channels according to your preference using the Emby channel manager. 

Hello!!

 

Haven't tried the beta server, nor the iptvboss

Just a question.

My iptv provider updates the list rather frequently (it's a good thing actually) will I have to do all. Over every time my provider update the list? 

 

Thanks for. The feedback, I'll try your suggestions.

 

Regards

[Chillout 85]

Adding/removing channels using IPTV Boss is relatively easy. You just use their channel editor and save it to the M3U file that Emby will import.  Emby will remembers the channel settings and order from before but any new channel may need some adjustments.

I'd start with only a handful of channels at the beginning and slowly add more. The IPTVBoss free version works good enough for organizing the M3U into something Emby can work with if you already have a tv guide.

[Spaceboy 2500]

20 hours ago, frasilva said:

Hello!!

 

Haven't tried the beta server, nor the iptvboss

Just a question.

My iptv provider updates the list rather frequently (it's a good thing actually) will I have to do all. Over every time my provider update the list? 

 

Thanks for. The feedback, I'll try your suggestions.

 

Regards

you can schedule refreshes of the m3u and epg in iptvboss as often as you like. mine runs daily and emby is pointed at the output files from iptv boss and also updates daily. works for me

[frasilva 1]

I did my testing with it iptvboss yesterday, although I struggled a little at first, I managed to get a new file for emby.

I still. Don't understand why it takes so long to Show the channels on the clients.

Al least it's working now.

 

I'll make a new test today night.

Thanks for the suggestion, haven't installed iptvboss in the server bacause I wanted to do testing in my laptop machine.

Once I have the result I want, I'll. Move into scheduling tasks.

Still too much time on something that a it dedicated app, does it in less than a min. At least I'm. Having fun now that I have some free time , don't know if I'll keep it when I'm. Back into my daily routine when I don't the time to spend on this

Thanks for the feedback so far. It's been very useful

 

Regards.